


Differences

by Mistyshadows



Series: Illness [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Depression, F/M, I Made Myself Cry, I don't like this either, POV Third Person Limited, part of the illness series, sort of, written in malfoy's view
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-24
Updated: 2017-04-02
Packaged: 2018-08-10 19:42:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,030
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7858519
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mistyshadows/pseuds/Mistyshadows
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>(y/n) disappeared for a week, much to Draco's disappointment. When she finally comes back, Draco notices something is wrong. The beautiful girl he knew is barely holding it together. What the hell happened to her?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Draco was in deep thought about what he could only describe as the most perfect human being he had ever seen. (Y/f/n).

She was utter perfection, but he was especially in love with her (e/c) eyes. A mere glance in his direction would make his smile the rest of the day.

But Draco hadn't seen (y/n) for several days. He wondered if she was sick. She had never missed a class, but no one had seen her for almost two weeks. There were rumors, of course, but none seemed plausible.

Murmurs erupted from the back, bring Draco back to the present. He turned and saw (y/n) standing at the back of the room, facing away from the class. She seemed different. Something was terribly wrong.

"(Y/n)?" someone called out.

She turned and Draco saw what it was.

Her skin was deathly pale, and she was thin, thinner than anytime Draco had ever seen her. Her normally shiny (h/c) hair was sticking up at odd angles. Her eyes were dull and sad, and she had dark bags under her eyes.

"(Y/n), are you alright?" Draco asked, glancing up at Professor Snape, who closed his book with a thud.

"I-I'm fine." she muttered, her usually musical voice almost hoarse.

"Are you ill?"

She shook her head slowly. In fact, all her movements were slow.

Snape appeared, a ghost at her side. "Take your seats." he commanded, narrowing his eyes at his students.

(Y/n) shuffled to her seat beside Draco; Professor Snape escorted her, a hand on her shoulder.

"Where have you been?" Draco muttered, passing (y/n) the notes he had taken while she had been away.

She didn't answer, just nodded once as she took the notes.

"You've been gone for two weeks." Draco hissed. "I'll ask again: where have-"

"Mr. Malfoy, it seems you have memorized the chemical balance of dittany. Please explain to the rest of the class your findings." Snape snapped.

There was a silence. No one had ever heard Snape talk to Draco with anything other than pride. Hermione Granger's hand shot straight up, but Snape ignored her.

"That's today's lesson, sir." Draco frowned.

Professor Snape looked at the chalkboard behind him. "Indeed it is." Then he turned and stared at Draco. "What is the chemical balance of dittany?"

Draco knew better than to protest, to just take the scolding rather than fight with his Professor. "I-I don't know, sir."

Professor Snape's head tilted slightly. "Hmm. Pity."

Granger's hand continued to wave frantically. Professor Snape still ignored her, carefully making sure to look the opposite direction.

"Sir! The chemical balance of dittany is five. It is neither a base nor an acid, but perfectly balanced between." she burst.

"Ten points from Gryffindor."

"Why?" shouted the Weasley boy, Ron.

"Would you like it doubled, Weasley?" Snape almost spit, glaring at the red-haired boy.

Ron shook his head quickly, looking dangerously close to exploding.

"Good." the Professor smirked and backed away.

(Y/n) didn't even look up from the notes as this was going on. Usually she'd have some smart-alack remark about a Gryffindor or Snape. Today her focus was entirely on the bits of parchment in front of her.

"Hey, did something happen?" Draco prodded, trying to get some sort of answer out of her.

(Y/n)'s eyes flickered to his for a split second before they flitted away once more. She shook her head.

"You look…" Draco tried to think of a good way to say how she appeared. "Different. Are you sure nothing happened?"

She finally turned to him, biting her lip. She hesitated, then quietly said, "No one can know. Promise me."

"I promise." Draco nodded.

(Y/n) closed her eyes tightly. "I- I tried to kill myself."


	2. Chapter 2

Later that day, (y/n) had told Draco everything on the school lawn, the sun beating down on them. The reasons she gave ranged from the abuse she received at home to the other students who bullied her. She was failing both Transfiguration and Potions. Her father had gotten drunk during Christmas break. He had tried to kill her, believing her to be an imposter in her bed. Her room mate called her horrid things every moment they saw each other. The list went on and on. Draco felt his heart breaking a little more every time she added a reason for her attempt on her life.

"I just have no reason for living anymore." she finished, staring at her hands.

"Don't say that. You're a seventh year, (y/n). It'll get better once you get out of your house and live in the real world." Draco said, shaking his head.

"I knew you wouldn't understand." (Y/n) muttered, beginning to gather up her things she had placed in the grass. "Its been like this since I was little. My parents are so old fashioned, they don't want me moving out until I get married. Its a bloody arranged marriage too. I… I don't want to live anymore and that's the truth."

"No, no, wait. Don't leave." Draco reached out and gently took her hand. "Please."

(Y/n) hesitated, then she slowly sat when she saw the desperate look in his eyes.

Draco took a deep breath. "Listen, I know its tough. My parents have already arranged who I will marry too." (Y/n) blinked, and Draco swore he saw a flash of anger behind her eyes. "I don't really like her all that much. She's nice and all, but… not my type. I'm surprised my parents even considered her, seeing her family history."

"What do you mean?" (y/n) asked, her (e/c) eyes staring at a ladybug that floated along unhurriedly.

"Her family were all muggle-lovers, according to my father." Draco shrugged, laying back into the grass.

(Y/n) sat still for a long moment, then slowly leaned back to do the same. "Does that matter? That her family were muggle-lovers?"

Draco scoffed. "Only to my father," He paused. "I suppose it might have mattered to me before the war, but now? I don't know. I don't really see any problem with it."

"Because there is no problem." (Y/n) rolled her eyes, folding her hands across her stomach.

"I don't want to marry her is the problem."

"Then don't."

"Yeah, my parents would go for that." Draco scoffed. "They've already promised me to her family. Promised, like they were selling me."

(Y/n) bit a nail. "I know the boy they want me to marry. A brute, he is. Built kind of like your friend Crabbe. Nasty temper." She sighed. "As if I need another man in my life hitting me."

Draco paused. "Then don't marry him."

(Y/n)'s eyes glared at him for a moment before she dissolved into giggles. "Yeah, my parents won't go for that."

"This feels like deja vu." Draco chuckled. "I think we've been here before."

"Are you sure? Dork." (Y/n) retorted, sticking her tongue out.

"Haha, that's funny." Draco said sarcastically, making a face.

"Fight me."

"I will."

"Square up." she snorted, rolling her eyes.

Draco was silent for a moment, watching her. She didn't turn to look at him for a while, but when she did, Draco smiled softly. She quickly looked away, playing with a blade of grass by her face.

"We could run away."

(Y/n) turned to stare at him. "What?"

"We could run away," Draco repeated, sitting up. "Me and you. Neither of us have to marry someone we don't want to."

"But-"

"I have enough money, I could support us." Draco said, getting more excited. "We could live in the city, or out in the country, wherever you wanted." He took her hand in his. "I could make you happy."

(Y/n) slowly sat up, biting her lip thoughtfully.

Draco could feel his heart beating heavily against his chest. "Please, (y/n)."

Her gaze finally met his, her decision made.

"Yes."


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a lot shorter than I'm used to, but I thought it needed to be added. Don't forget to leave a comment in the box below!  
> -Mo

News that Draco and (y/n) were an item got around fast. Neither could walk down the hall without someone, usually first years, bombarding them with questions. Whenever they crowded around the pair, Draco would shove his way through, holding tightly to his girlfriend's hand.

Girlfriend. Draco had heard the word plenty of times in his life, but never before had it made his heart beat mercilessly in his chest. (Y/n) was his girlfriend.

It took a few weeks, but (y/n) finally started eating regularly and regained her natural weight. She still had dark circles under her eyes, but they were fading as she began to trust sleep once more, as long as she was with Draco, who snuck her up to the boys' dormitories after dark so she could sleep in his bed.

"Wake up, beautiful," he murmured in her ear one cold winter morning as she slept beside him, devoid of her once common nightmares. She didn't stir. "C'mon, (y/n). Up."

"Do I 'ave to?" she groaned softly, burying her face into Draco's sleep shirt.

Draco chuckled quietly, kissing her forehead. "I'm afraid so. We have class in half an hour."

"To hell with class."

"You say that every morning, but you have yet to cut class, dork."

"I mean it this time."

"Mmhmm." Draco wrapped his arms around her and brought her close against his chest. "You're too much of a goody-goody to skip."

(Y/n) let out an indignant snort. "I can be bad too!"

"I can be bad too!" Draco mocked lightly, laughing when she blushed. "I can reach things too! I'm balanced enough to fly too!"

"Okay, okay! Maybe I'm not the coolest girl ever, but you picked me, so shut up."

He smiled. "You're right."

"Which part?"

"You're not the coolest girl ever." She hit him with a pillow. "But I love you anyway."

She blushed again, suddenly shy. Draco could feel her heart beat racing through their shirts. Whenever they touched, he sent her pulse soaring. It was simply another little something about her he was in love with.

They lay there in silence for a few minutes before Draco sighed, "We need to get up. Snape will never forgive us if we missed today's lesson."

(Y/n) opened a narrowed eye. "What is today's lesson, hmm?"

"No idea. C'mon, babe," Draco said, pressing soft kisses to her cheeks. "Class."

She let let a heavy moan, stretching. The cotton fabric of her night shirt slipped up, allowing Draco a peek of the soft skin of her stomach. "Stop staring," she mumbled, pulling the shirt back down. Her face turned red under the watchful gaze of Draco's bright eyes. "I know I don't have the best body."

"Shut up," Draco growled, nuzzling her neck. "You are so beautiful. In fact, you're perfect. I love every single inch of you, so don't you dare think you don't have the best body, because you do."

(Y/n) giggled. "Hittin' me with the heavy stuff, huh?"

Another sigh. "Fine, but don't blame me when Snape gives us detention and makes us brew Living Death without instructions."

"Mmm…" (Y/n) pulled the blanket closer around her, smirking at the boy.

Draco smiled to himself. She was so goddamn perfect, even if she was being a little annoying. "Just go back to sleep, (y/n)."

She was asleep in seconds.


	4. updates

Hello, dearest reader! I apologize for being unable to update as often as I'd prefer, but there's been a lot of stuff going on including but not limited to: school, family issues, not having wifi at home, writer's block, and so on and so forth. I've also been in and out of the hospital for the past few weeks, for both myself and a dear friend of mine. To those of you who want more of this story, hit kudos, post a comment, and I will get to you as soon as I can. This story is still in progress, it hasn't been abandoned, I just haven't the time nor energy to write recently, but I will get back to it as soon as possible! Don't forget to subscribe. Happy reading!

Love, Mistyshadows (Mo)

**Author's Note:**

> Hey leave a comment at the bottom!
> 
> Also, if you want to request anything, send me an email at moonkit26@gmail.com! If its part of my fandoms, I will try to write the best I possibly can. Hit me up, mate!
> 
> -MoMo


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